OLYMPIA, Wash. — Mary Valentine always wanted to be a marine biologist, but wasn’t able to get her degree well into her 40s, said her husband, David Hall.
When she did she eventually got hired by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, “It was her dream job,” said Hall.
On January 9, Valentine drowned while counting juvenile salmon on the Duckabush River in Jefferson County.
"My heart was tore out," said Hall.
State Department of Labor & Industry investigators fined the Department Fish & Wildlife $114,00 for a series of safety violations in Valentine’s case.
According to investigators, who found “willful serious” violations, Valentine had not properly been trained to work on the water and the state “did not ensure employees were provided or wearing personal floatation devices.”
Valentine was not wearing a life jacket when she drowned.
The department is not appealing the fines.
”We want to be on the leading edge of safety for our industry, like that's where we want to be, and these accidents show us that we're not there yet,” said Amy Windrope, deputy director of the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
She said prior to Valentine’s death, employees were only given on-site safety training. She said now the state will offer additional safety training before any employee is allowed to work in the field.
Windrope said state policy required Valentine to wear a life jacket while working on the water.
Hall said he is suing the state. He blames the agency for Valentine's death.
"There was no safety training, none. Zero, zilch," said Hall.
The family of Erin Pederson, a Fish & Wildlife employee who drowned in 2023, is also suing the department. Pederson died while on a snorkeling survey in Skamania County in September of 2023.
The state was fined more than $30,600 for that incident.
Hall said he hopes Fish & Wildlife employees, especially those who work on the water, receive more training.
”Now, it's mandatory. Now - a little bit too late for my wife - but at least somebody else, you know, might not have to go through this,” said Hall.
Fish & Wildlife was also fined $72,000 for another “willful serious” violation after two employees ended up in the Nisqually River in February after their boat capsized. One of those employees had to be taken to the hospital with a head injury, according to investigators.